So, I am back working on this project again. My unintended hiatus gave time to reflect on what I had written so far. I think that there is a good story developing. It has several themes that interest me and a number of sub-plots that add up to an engaging tale. However, I have recognised that there are some aspects that require more work. Perhaps even a lot of work.

Normally, I would carry out this kind of revision after completing the first draft, but events intervened, and it just felt necessary to review what I have written so far. I am actually glad of it. Coming back now after a break has given me a fresh perspective. There are a few sub-plots that did not appear to have a direct connexion to the main plot and one character who was in danger of becoming superfluous even though I thought of them as quite important. This for me this is one of the joys of writing. I can see the ideas and how they are developing, and I can also see where they need to connect to each other at various points. In a large and complex book this can become quite daunting. A writer needs a very good stylesheet to assist them, fortunately, I have already acquired that habit.

The plot is not complicated really, I was not looking for it to be, it is more driven by the characters. One of them decides on a course of action and the next chapter is inspired by the outcomes, both negative and positive, and how these prompts the other characters to respond. Their relationships with each other are also important. These lay over the main plot like veneers, adding depth and complexity. It is interesting to me that each of the major characters have very different motivations and how they are perceived by others really depends upon the inferred agenda that those motivations give rise to.

There are of course a number of factions who are at odds with each other, but I have managed to muddy the waters a bit by avoiding the simple dichotomy of ‘good v evil’. First, there are two major political ideologies, one favouring the independent individual and the other more centralised control and order. Obviously, they are opposed to each other. I have created three religious orders who once all belonged to one church. Two of them can identify with either of the two political factions, although not too closely, and the third appears to prefer anarchy. Then there are the robots, true machines that possess artificial intelligence. They cast no judgement over their human creators and even co-exist to some degree with them. Finally, there are two shady organisations who are also diametrically opposed to each other and neither is particularly fond of the two political factions or the three religious orders either.

In truth, there is going to be a lot of conflict!

One of the things that was apparent to me after this review was that I had an idea of how I wanted the story to end but I had not, as then, really put my mind to it. This is what was suggesting that one of the characters was surplus to requirements; in fact, they were the exact opposite. I now have an idea of how to end the story in an interesting manner without having to tie up all the loose ends. Indeed, this idea really leaves what follows the conclusion as open ended, undecided, and little more than an aspiration really, but it works for me!